Tenth Annual Palestine Workshop: County Clare Comes To Texas

[Dan Worrall]

Autumn leaves are falling, we're bracing ourselves for winter...so its time to remind ourselves that there will be a Spring to look forward to. And that means concertina playing at the Palestine (east Texas) Old Time Music Festival...the tenth annual workshop for our concertina community! It happens March 27-29, 2014.

 

As in years past, we will have a series of concertina workshops catering to all systems, within a larger old time music festival catering to all sorts of instruments. We'll have a detailed agenda to post in coming weeks, but this posting serves as a 'save the date' for what will be an exciting year.

 

We will host Ann Kirrane (concertina) and Gerry Hanley (button accordion). Ann is a fourth generation concertina player from Clare and a daughter of famed player Chris Droney. Gerry is a past all-Ireland player and will accompany Ann in concert; she sings in additonal to playing the concertina in a lovely old-time style. Ann will give a series of workshops on both concertina playing in the Clare style and (with Gerry, for a more general festival attendance) on traditional Irish dance music and song. As well as taking part in a number of concerts at the festival.

 

We're very excited to have these two, having coaxed them out of their comfortable west of Ireland haunts for an adventure in Texas. Ann, as many of you know, is one of the Clare ladies taking part in the project with Mrs O'Dwyers old German concertina. She'll be discussing old time Clare concertina (and playing some very old family concertina tunes) as part of a panel of ladies at the Concertina Cruinniu in Miltown Malbay in February(see post on that), and will journey out here only a few weeks later. I've attached some bio material below.

 

In addition to those workshops, we will have a variety of workshops for all systems of concertina, and of course our annual 'Concertina Dinner', a chance for all to trot out their favorite party pieces! Add that to the wonderful old time music concerts, workshops on fiddle, banjo, dulcimer and the like, Shape Note Singing, and of course BBQ down the street at Sheps, and it looks to be another great time. Here is a summary with photos by Gary Coover and others put together of last year's workshop.

 

If you are thinking of coming - and we hope you are! - then please send me an email message via concertina.net and I will put you on the mailing list for further information as well as pre-sends of tunes, etc.

 

Cheers,

Dan

 

Ann Kirrane comes from Bellharbour, Co.Clare, and a long musical tradition. Her father, Chris Droney, is one of the most respected concertina players in Ireland. Ann learned concertina from her father, and grandfather Jim, and won the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceóil three times. Her teenage summers were spent in Lisdoonvarna playing music with her father Chris, Tommy Peoples, Kitty Linnane and Paddy Mullins of the Kilfenora Céili Band. Ann moved to Tuam and it was there she began to sing, taking leading roles in stage productions with local musical societies. It was in Tuam also, that Ann met and married Noël Kirrane, a musician, teacher, choirmaster and musical director who devoted his life to the promotion of music in young and old. Her new CD 'One Small Star', dedicated to the memory of Noel, has received rave reviews for its mix of songs--gospel, traditional, Irish ballads, jazz standards--blended with exceptional concertina playing.

 

Gerry Hanley hails from Galway and has played Irish traditional two row button accordion from an early age, winning the All Ireland championship at age 21. In 1980 he played in 17 cities in US/Canada as part of the CCE cultural tour group. Gerry met and played with many of the greats of the '70s including Joe Cooley and he was a regular on the Galway trad scene in the '80s/90s before his career as an engineer took him to Sligo for ten years, recently returning to live in his native Menlo in Galway city. He now works on heritage projects and has visited California three times in the past year, where he was instrumental in forming a Friendship Agreement between Galway and Menlo Park CA. He relishes these opportunities to meet musicians from all over the world to exchange tunes and stories.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Dan Worrall

[Lawrence Reeves]

This will be fantastic. I would image you'll have enough to dance a few sets as well. Great news Dan.

[Dan Worrall]

Thanks, Larry. I hope we won't conflict this year with the SE Tionol....any idea when that might occur? Maybe I can make it this time!

 

Let me know if you can come to Palestine....it would be great to have you. Always fun to show Floridians the way of truth vis a vis BBQ.

 

Dan

[Lawrence Reeves]

The southeast Tionól is April 25-27th, and in Georgia for 2014. We are trying to do it on Tybee Island near Savannah as a change up. We have not finished selecting tutors, but to date have the following committed. Brian McNamara, Kieran O'Hare, Liz Knowles, and Pat Broaders. We may still choose to do it in the norther Atlanta area of Roswell,which has worked well for a number of years. I hope to have things finalized in December. I tend to favor Carolina style BBQ. pulled pork, a spicy non mustard sauce, and slaw. MY real conflict may be getting the extra time off before heading to Clare in early April. I am going to try to spend a day or two in Feakle / Tulla, and then out to Miltown Malbay. I think a nice meal at The Old Bakehouse restaurant is in order.